By Dwayne Ferreira.
Rumesh Tharanga returned to Sri Lanka after his Budapest triumph to discover four competition javelins worth over Rs. 2 million damaged in transit.
Sri Lanka’s world-leading javelin star Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage returned home as a champion on Tuesday morning, only for his celebrations to be overshadowed by the discovery that four of his professional competition javelins had been badly damaged during the journey back to Sri Lanka.
The equipment, reportedly worth more than Rs. 2 million, included three javelins Tharanga says he had used when producing throws beyond the 90-metre barrier — equipment closely associated with a remarkable season that has established the 23-year-old among the finest javelin throwers in the world.
Tharanga arrived in Sri Lanka on September 15 following his victory at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, where he produced a massive 91.09-metre throw to win the men’s javelin title.
Instead of returning solely to celebrations, however, the Sri Lankan discovered that four of the javelins transported with him had sustained serious damage during the flight.
“All three javelins I used for over 90 throws have been damaged,” Tharanga told reporters following his arrival.
He nevertheless appeared remarkably restrained about the setback.
“It might have been a mistake by the airline, but that’s how it is. It’s not a big issue. I’ll move on,” he said.
A complaint has reportedly been lodged over the incident.
Tharanga Appears to Call Out Airline
Tharanga subsequently shared photographs of the damaged equipment on his Instagram story accompanied by the words “bad luck.”
In another post, he appeared to identify Turkish Airlines, writing “Thank You Turkish Airlines” alongside a broken-heart emoji.
The exact circumstances surrounding how the javelins were damaged have yet to be officially established, and there has been no publicly reported determination of responsibility for the incident.
Reports from Sri Lanka said Tharanga’s father estimated the value of the damaged equipment at more than Rs. 2 million.
For an elite javelin thrower, however, the significance of the loss extends beyond its financial value.
Competition javelins are highly specialised pieces of sporting equipment, and athletes frequently train and compete using particular models suited to their throwing technique and performance characteristics. Damage to equipment used consistently at the highest level can therefore affect both preparation and competition.
Three Javelins Behind His 90-Metre Throws
The revelation that three of the damaged javelins were used during Tharanga’s 90-metre-plus performances makes the incident particularly significant.
Tharanga has enjoyed an extraordinary 2026 season.
In June, he produced a national-record 92.62 metres at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea Diamond League meeting in Rome, becoming the first athlete in the world to surpass 90 metres during the 2026 season. The performance also established a meeting record.
His rise continued through the international season before he became the first Sri Lankan athlete to win the Diamond League Final, producing an 89.04-metre throw in Brussels earlier this month.
Then came Budapest.
At the World Athletics Ultimate Championship on September 13, Tharanga opened with 75.89 metres before improving to 85.69 metres. His third attempt of 87.11 metres moved him into the lead before he unleashed a stunning 91.09-metre effort in the fourth round.
Grenada’s two-time world champion Anderson Peters finished second with 86.18 metres, while Germany’s Julian Weber took third with 85.89 metres.
The victory completed another extraordinary chapter in a season during which Tharanga has emerged as one of the dominant figures in international javelin.
World No. 1 Returns to an Unwelcome Surprise
World Athletics currently lists Tharanga as the world’s No. 1-ranked men’s javelin thrower, with his 92.62-metre national record standing as his personal best.
He has also claimed Commonwealth Games gold during a season that has transformed him from Sri Lanka’s leading thrower into a genuine global star.
That made Tuesday morning’s discovery an especially bitter conclusion to what should have been an entirely celebratory journey home.
Yet Tharanga’s response was characteristic of the composure he has displayed throughout his meteoric rise.
Four javelins may have been damaged, and equipment worth more than Rs. 2 million may now need replacing.
But judging by the world champion’s response, the incident is unlikely to derail the man behind them.
Government Pledges Replacement Javelins
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has moved quickly to ensure the incident does not interfere with Tharanga’s preparations, announcing that a new set of javelins will be provided at government expense.
According to the Sports Minister, the intervention is intended to allow the Sri Lankan star to continue training without disruption as he prepares for the Asian Championships and, further ahead, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The announcement also clarifies that five of Tharanga’s javelins were damaged during air travel, making the loss even more significant than initially reported.
